- 5780, Abraham, Ancestors, Bereshit, Beshert, Chayyei Sarah, Death, Dissertation Diary, Genealogy, Generations, Genesis, Hebron, Isaac, Life, Marriage, Matriarchs, Parsha, Patriarchs, Rebekah, Sarah
Burials & Besherts
The last parsha was filled with Sarah’s life, and this one is, well…not. She dies almost immediately – the title, taken from the opening verse, instead offers a glance back. From here, Parashat…
- 5780, Abimelech, Abraham, Akedah, Bereshit, Dissertation Diary, Genesis, Hagar, Hospitality, Ishmael, Lot, Messiah, Midrash, Parsha, Philo, Sarah, Sister Wives, Sodom, Theophany, Vayera
Our Ancestral Drama: Comedy or Tragedy?
The laughing started last week, but argument, sin, confusion, and oppression are quick on the heels of such mirth. In a parsha that begins with guests, hospitality, and a theophany, the human condition…
- 5780, Abraham, Bereshit, Challah, Change, Dissertation Diary, Genesis, Intimacy, Isaac, Journey, Laughter, Lekh Lekha, New York, Parsha, Relationship, Sarah, Songs, Travel
Where are Jew Going?
Perhaps the alliteration of Lekh-Lekha brings about all the attention this parsha gets. From a challah-venture who borrows the name, to Debbie Friedman’s well-known song, this seems to be a favorite of parshiyot followers.…
- 5780, Ark, Babel, Bereshit, Confusion, Covenant, Destruction, Dissertation Diary, Flood, Genesis, Loss, Noach, Parsha, Promises, Rainbow, Rashi, Ruin, Sforno
Promises, Promises…
So the first “promise” of the Torah depends on the weather – really? In the realm of G!d’s power to respond to the world, rain was the retribution of choice. Without delving into…
- 5780, Annual Cycle, Bereshit, Creativity, Dancing, Deuteronomy, Devarim, Dissertation Diary, Farewell, Generations, Genesis, High Holidays, Liturgy, Moses, Parsha, Presence, Rashi, Simchat Torah, Sukkot, Torah
Dancing With Creation
Sukkos is the time of our joy, and Simchas Torah offers a highly tangible expression of our ecstatic expression. Whether momentary or mundane, each year we return in joy to the beginning of…
- 5779, 5780, Adath Israel, Comprehensive Exams, Davening, Dissertation, Faithfulness, HUC, JTS, Relationship, Rosh Hoshannah, Sukkot, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur
Decad[e]ing Dreams
After Hebrew school wrapped up last year, I went into deep study mode for my comprehensive exams. B”H, I passed them and am now ABD!* This summer I learned French (to pass a…
- Affliction, Discharge, Infection, Komps Kaos, Leprosy, Leviticus, Loneliness, Medicine, Metzora, Outcasts, Parsha, Plagues, Priests, Quarantine, Sickness, Skin Diseases, Society, Suffering, Vayikra
Quarantined
We don’t think very much about leprosy today. This “ancient” disease plagued people in the Bible (Tanakh), and later in the New Testament. Those who suffered from such a communicable disease were outcasts…
- Childbirth, Children, Family, Generations, Komps Kaos, Leviticus, Maternity Leave, Offering, Parents, Parsha, Provision, Purity, Ritual, Separation, Skin Diseases, Tazria, Vayikra
Ancient Maternity Leave
Parashat Tazria consists of only two chapters, but they are packed to the gills with instructions about bodily purity. This year, the opening verses caught my attention – instructions for women following childbirth.…
- Aaron, Challah, Death, Fire, Hebrew, Kashrut, Komps Kaos, Leviticus, Offering, Parsha, Presence, Priests, Purity, Rabbis, Shmini, Tabernacle, Vayikra, Worship
A Ceremony of Death & Kashrut
The first chapter of Parashat Shmini ceremoniously presents G!d’s appearance before the Israelites, after a series of instructions which they follow, led by the priests. I really wanted to say unceremoniously, even though…
- Aaron, Anointing, Ceremony, Instructions, Intention, Israelites, Komps Kaos, Leviticus, Nation, Offering, Parsha, Priests, Purim, Service, Shul, Tzav, Vayikra, Worship
Pure Intentions…
In Parashat Tzav, instructions for offerings continue, as well as instructions for what the priests should offer to G!d. Rather than allowing Aaron and his sons to simply be covered by the offering…